, 1887-03-19
TIE VENEZUELAN DISPUTE.

-A0 1N~4'
The news by telegram that diplomatic
relations had been suspended between the
British and Venezuelan Governments ON
account of a dispute over the British Guia-
ma boundary created a mild surprise here
on Wednesday. Although living in the
country most directly connected with the
cause of quarrel, the British GuianeSe
knew nothing or next to nothing of what
negotiations had been going on between
the Foreign Office and the Government of
Gar accaS. Tn dispute, so far as we can
ascertain, is about the rightful ownership
of the lands known of recent years as the
Manoa Concession, and of the ESSequebo
Concession, the former being the low allu-
vial lands near the mouth of the OrlnOc0
and the latter the high lands on the far
side of The EsSeqnebO, including the dis
trict in which our gold-diggers are now
engaged. Venezuela claims the coast land
up to the Moruca, and the inlands up to
and inclusive Of the Settlement at Mazaru-
nj. The British Government dispute this
claim, and, having entered a counter one,
proceeded towards the end of last year 10
give practical emphasis to it by placing
the whole of the territory in dispute under
the judicial and fiscal supervision of the
Government at Georgetown. If this decl-
sive step had been taken years ago, all
trouble between the two claimants would
long since have been finally settled AMIGA
bly, or otherwise, hut the matter was left
in allegiance, probably the lands Ill queS.
tiOn being considered of too small value TO
be worth bOtheriug about. When the
growing Importance of both districts forced
them into notice the British Government
found evidence enough in the oldest dOcu-
~,.A- - 4 kI,1n ynN 4 -
possession, and as a duty they owed to
British subjects who were carrying capital
and lahOur into the districts, they issued
a Gazette to the effect that no claim adj
yanced by Venezuela to exercise jurisdic-
ton or ownership over the districts would
be entertained. This decision placed the Go.
vernment of Caracas in a dilemma. Some
two or three years ago they sold the coast
lands to an enterpriSing American, by
whom it was resOld to Mr.. Fitzgerald of
Brooklyn, whose name must now be FAM
lier to our readers, and who sold it to the
ManOa Company, of which, if we are to be-
lieve him, another enterprisimg gentleman,
now in this colony, is now the main repre-
sentative. Having sold the land, the We
nezuelan Government must have given
way to a feeling of weakness, and, under
his unusual state of things, come to think
that they ought to see that the concession
lists received some concession. 1t is repor-
ted that before he left England last autumn,
Mr.. Guzman Blanco had an interview
with Lord Salisbury OH the question, and
urged his Lordship to forego the British
Governments claim to the coast lands. He
is said TO have offered to give up all claim
to the ESseQuebO territory, if Britain would
pay him 5000 0 for the coast lands, but
Lord Salisbury would not entertain the
proposal, and Mr.. Blanco had to return to
Caracas to make the best explanation he
could to the Manoa concessionists. 1t was
i'll the vain hope of getting possession of
the lane by a mild display of the ~strOng
arm that he sent the CentenGriO here with
his commissioners, a couple of months ago,
but the counter-moye on the part of the
British Government in sending II. NJ. S.
Lily to cruise off the mouth of the OrinOco
ana prevent any interference with British
subjects settled along the coast lands,